"Hi... Poindexter here. Whereas I am normally jovial and ready to extol the virtues of audio/video, technology, Comic-Con, banana slugs and more, today I'd like to talk about something equally as important... supporting good local businesses when you come across them.

Our favorite service business TechExpert Express just announced that they are closing their doors. They have provided San Diego with audio/video repairs for a number of years. In our opinion they were head-and-shoulders above the competition. They were friendly, timely, professional and they handled business the right way. Unfortunately, not enough people knew about this gem and it made for their demise.

Have any problems with businesses lately? Try walking into any big-box store and let me know how happy you are when you walk out. How often do these businesses provide you with the right solution, call you back when they are supposed to, remember your name, etc? I guess my point is that when we find a local business that does a great job providing a service, be it automotive repair, selling ice cream or like us, providing audio/video and technology solutions, we should do everything possible to tell all of our friends and family about these companies. If we don't, we may not have these businesses as a resource when we need them.

I love ServiceRite electric, Scott Kroll (Sun and Sea Realty), Simpson Construction, Willy's Electronics, Angler's Arsenal and Techmate computers. If you're a raving fan of any businesses (hopefully us), let someone know. Now back to banana slugs."